Machine for blocking and pressing hats



W. H. KENDALL.

MACHINE FOR BLocKlNG AND PREsslNG HATS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. Il

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ATTURNEYS WILLIAM H. Kennett, or Monson, nass ACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SARAH FRANCES KENDALL, or Monson, iiiessncnusnfrfrs.

application inea april 11, 191e.

To all whom t may concer/n:

lie it known that l, ll'iinii'mir H. lnnnami, a citizen of the ilnited States, residing at lilonsmi7 in the county of Hampden and State o' `Massachusetts, have invented new and useiul improvements in Machines for Blocking and Pressing lilats, oit which the following is a specilication. f

this invention relates to machine tor blocl'izing and pressing hats in which a hood or dome coacts With a holloiv bloc'l made to support a perforated Ehat mold, and a mem brane carried by the block assumes the shape ot a hat in the mold by means of air pressure in the hood. rthe invention is designed to include means for exhausting the air from the hood and hollow bloei; so that 'the elastic membrane will gradually assume the shapeoi the mold and fracture or breakage by a sudden strain is obviafted.

in object ot the inrention is to provide the joints between the hood and holloiv blool4 mold 'a' ith a pneumatic cushion tor eliminan ing escape. of air and means 'for simultaneouslyY forcing air into the hood While in iiating the cushion.

Si further object oi' the invention is to provide the hood with readily manipula-tive clamping means 'for locking the hood to the bloei: so that the air pressure in the pneumatic cushion cannot open the `ioints or torce the members apart.

The novel features ot the invention are more iully described in the following speci- ;ication and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in Which:-

Figure l represents a vertical section of a machine embodying` this invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken along the line 2-2 ot the same.

Fig. 8 is a detail section ot a cock.

Fig. el is a similar section showing the cock in a different position.

ln the drawing the numeral 6 designates a i'rame which is preferably formed of angular uprights. A pair of vertically ar ranged rods 7 are slidingly mounted in the frame, a cross head S is secured to the upper portions ot the rods and a bar 9 to the lovver ends oi the same. Between the rods and rigidly suspended from the cross-head is fixed a dome or hood lO ot conical shape. A rod ll pivoted to the bar can be actuated by a treadle as is Well known to elevate or lower the hood.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, i920 serial no. esase.

Secured to the trame is a table l2 having parallel tracks i3 located on the table. A. hollow block lei is arranged to slide or travel on the tracks and a. lug l fastened to the table, see Fig. 2, coaets with the rear oi the block to form a stop for a-lining the bloclz With the hood. Supported on the block is a perforated mold or diel i6 shaped to con- :'orm to the outline of a hat or similar head covering. @n the bloclr is removably mounted an elastic membrane or diaphragm l? Which when depressed by air above it will force itself into the hat.

Steam or other heating medium is admitted into the block by means ot a pipe 18 controlled by a `valve i9 and a branch pipe 2O governed by a valve 21 is adapted to rel'eve or exhaust the pressure in the block when desired.

Air is admitted into the hood by means ot' a pipe 22 controlled by a three-Way cock 23 and at the same time air is passed by a branch pipe 2i into a pneumatic annular cushion 25 placed in annular grooves between the hood and bloclr. in indicator 26 connected to the top ot the hood denotes the pressure in the block and cushion. The air can be exhausted from the hood by actuating the said cook 23 as indicated in Fig. 3 thereby opening an outlet 2T communicating With the hood. When it is desired to introduce air into the cushion and hood the cock is positioned as shown in Fig. 4- with the inlet opened and the exhaust closed.

The clamping arrangement for locking the block and hood consists oi an annular member 28 supported on flange of the hood. rlhe member has secured to it a series of dependent clamps having hooks to engage the hollow block. By rotating the member the liools are made to register or aline with slots 30 formed in the circumference ot the block and the hood can be raised.

llhen the hood is clamped ,down on the block the steam is admitted to heat the blocl and meisten the hat. rlhe steam is then exhausted by closing the valve 19 and opening the valve 2l. Air is then admitted into the hood to Compress the membrane into the mold and after being compressed a een tain time the air is exhaused by operating` the three-Way Coeli. it will be noticed that the air is forced into the hood and at the same time into the cushion thus giving equal klu pressure. By drawing the steam from the I block and the air from the hood a vacuum is created above and below the membrane to partly collapse it onto the mold before the air is introduced into the hood. The cushion when under suitable air pressure will effectively seal the joints between the hood and the block so that none of the air or steam in the hood can escape.

I claim Y l. In a hat pressing machine the combination with a lower block member, and a hood movably coacting with the block, of a pneumatic cushion arranged between the block and the hood, and means for inflating thev cushion;

2. In a hat pressing machine the combination with a lower block member, and a hood movably coacting with the block, of a pneumatic cushion arranged between the block and the hood, and means connected to the hood for inflating the cushion.

3. In a hat pressing machine the combination with a lower block member and a hood movably coacting with the block, a mold supported on the block, an elastic membrane made to engage the mold, of a pneumatic cushion arranged between the block and hood, and means for iniiating the cushion and simultaneously forcing air into the hood to depress the membrane.

4,-. In a hat pressing machine the combination with a lower block member, and a hood movably coacting with the block, a mold supported on the block, an elastic membrane made to engage the mold, of a pneumatic cushion arranged between the block and hood, means including a three-way cock for inflating the cushion and simultaneously forcing air into the hood to depress the membrane, and means controlled by the cock for exhausting air from the hood.

V5. A hat pressing machine comprising a lower hollow block, a perforated mold supported on the block, a movable hood coacting with the block, an elastic membrane made to engage the mold, a steam inlet connected to the block, a branch exhaust leading to theinlet, means for admitting air into the hood, and means controlled by the air inlet for exhausting the air.

6. A hat pressing machine comprising` a lower block member, a hood movably coacting with the block, a pneumatic cushion arranged between the block and hood, an annular movable clamp member mounted on the hood to engage the block, and slots disposed in theV periphery of the block to times register with the clamps for releasing the hood. Y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. KENDALL.

Witnesses KATHERINE S. KEANE, WILLIAM MILLER. 

